Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 83 (1990) 559-561 559

North-Holland

DETECTION OF MAGNETISING INRUSH CURRENT USING REAL TIME

INTEGRATION METHOD

P.C.Y. LING and A. BASAK

Wolfson Centre for Magnetrcs Technology, University of Wales College of Cardrff, Cardiff, UK

A technique of predicting magnetising inrush currents in transformers is described. Computed results show an inconsistency
in second harmonic decay resulting detection failure while using conventional second harmonic techniques. A new detection
scheme using real time integration values of the inrush current is proposed to provide reliable relay operation.

1. Introduction A, B and C, respectively.

8BA(8t) = (l/K,)[ L’,, sin( wt + 0)

The second harmonic content of magnetising inrush
-(RiA(t)8z) - (L$i,)],
currents has been widely used in transformer differen-
tial protection systems. The magnitude of a second 6B,( 8t) = (l/K,)[ V, sin( wt + 0 + IT/~)
(1)
harmonic magnetising inrush current is affected by vari- -(Ri,(r)6r)-(L,6i,)],
ous switching parameters [l]. These are the angle of
6Bc( 8t) = (l/K,)[ V, sin( wt + B + 2~/3)
switching on the supply voltage wave, remanent flux
density, energising circuit impedance and transformer -(Ri,(t)Ft) - (L&)].
winding geometry. The conventional detection scheme where
uses the peak magnetising inrush current and compares
it with percentage second harmonic current extracted K, = [N(A, +Aa~i)l/[~+,(t)Ll.
via a tuned filter circuit [2]. The most important factor
here is the consistency of the decay of second harmonic KB=[N(A~+A,‘~)I/[c~B(~)~,I.
content taken as the percentage of the fundamental K,=[N(A,+A.I,)I/[~Lc(~)~,I,
current. If the percentage second harmonic increases
from a small value to a peak during the initial cycles, N = number of primary turns per phase, A, = cross-
detection failure will occur due to the large ratio of sectional area of steel core, m2. A, = cross-sectional
peak inrush current to second harmonic content area of air enclosed by copper winding, m2, I, = mean
magnetic path length, m, I, = energising winding length,
( &%k/i2 ).
This paper proposes a new detection scheme using m, 8 = angle of switching, degree. R = energising circuit
the real time integration value and compares with the resistance per phase, Q, L, = source inductance per
performance of the second harmonic scheme. phase. henry, V, = peak phase voltage, V.
The instantaneous value of flux density in each
phase is determined by eq. (2). The initial core flux
2. Numerical prediction density value at t = 0 is taken as the remanent flux
density, B,, of each phase of the corresponding limb of
the transformer.
Under ac magnetisation the calculation of magnetis-
ing inrush current is based on the change of core flux B*(t+6t)=B*(t)+8L?*(&).
density, FB, in an incremental time step 6t, with re- B,(t+6t)=B.(t)+6B,(6t). (2)
spect to time, t. If the calculation is continuous, succes- B,(t+6r)=B,(r)+SB,(6t).
sive data of flux density with respect to time can be
obtained. In order to estimate the current in each phase using
Eq. (1) shows the incremental flux density in each the B/H relationship, the B/H loop of the transformer
phase of a three-phase three-limb transformer core con- core is averaged to give a B/H characteristic curve [3].
nected in a delta-star winding configuration. The values This method is valid for the B/H loop at super-satura-
K,, K, and K, represent the flux distribution factors tion condition. However, because of the delta-star con-
between the magnetic and nonmagnetic media in phases figuration the following assumptions were made: (a) the

0304-8853/90/$03.50 0 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

(North-Holland)
560 P.C. Y. Llng, A. Basuk / Magnetistng inrush currents

secondary star is on no-load. (b) the angle of switching

is referred to phase A, (c) phase currents within the
delta loop are used to determine the line current in each
phase of the source, and (d) the primary voltage in each
phase is equal to the phase-to-phase voltage with + 30 o
phasor rotation,

V’n = fi k’,, sin( wz + 0 + a/6),

VBc = fi V, sin( ~‘t + 0 + 51~/6), (3)
Vc.* = fi V, sin( KJ~+ 0 + 3n/2).

3. Real time integration scheme

Because of the asymmetrical nature of the magnetis-

ing inrush current, a value can be obtained by integrat-
ing the inrush current wave form with a time span of
one cycle starting at the instant of energisation of the
CYCLE NUPWER
transformer. When the flow of the magnetising inrush
current ceases, symmetry on the magnetising current Fig. 1. Decay of second and third harmonic inrush currents in
wave form is prevailed. hence the real time integration a 100 MVA 3-phase 3-limb transformer.
value becomes zero. Eq. (4) describes a simplified solu-
tion of the scheme.
all phases occurred in relatively small magnitudes due
I(r-~,)=j”i(~)dt. to the delta winding and decayed rapidly to their steady
(4)
‘I state values.
Fig. 2 shows the real time integration value perfor-
where (I* ~ t, ) = 1 cycle span.
mance in the first 40 cycles of the magnetising inrush
current with the same switching parameters as in table
4. Results and discussions 1. The pattern in all phases shows a well-defined trend
that the real time integration value decreases in accor-
A 100 MVA three-phase three-limb transformer con-
nected in delta-star winding configuration has been
modelled. The primary winding per phase was set at 712
turns with R = 2.3 Q and L, = 6.7 mH. The winding
space factor was estimated as 19.6%. The operating flux A PHASE A
density was taken as 1.71 T at 50 Hz. The angle of v PHASE B
I
switching referenced to phase A was set at 0 O. The 40 + PHASE C
remanent flux densities of + 1.3 T, -1.3 T and 0 T Bra=l.3T, Et-b=-1.3T and Brc=OT
4
were set for phase A, B and C, respectively.
Fig. 1 shows the second and third harmonic compo-
nents of the magnetising inrush current from the instant
4 ,,t
5 0
%%*F-e.-.i
of energisation to the 40th cycle. The initial surge of
second harmonic currents of phase A, B and C is due to
the extremely high peaks of the magnetising inrush
current in the initial cycles. The peaks of the second
harmonic currents occurred in between the second to
the third cycle for phases A and B whereas in phase C
the second harmonic current peaked during the first
cycle. If these switching conditions are applied in prac-
tice, a second harmonic restraint differential relay would
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
probably be triggered because of the large ratio of CYCLE NUMBER
I,,,,/i, occurring in the first cycle by treating it as a Fig. 2. Decay of real time integration values of mrush current
fault situation. However, the third harmonic current in in a 100 MVA 3-phase 3-limb transformer.
 P.C. Y. Ling, A. Basak / Magnetising wwh currents 561

dance with the symmetry of the inrush current wave ratio of I in the first cycle may prompt a dif-
form. By using a real time integration value scheme ferential rX”li operate.
instead of the second harmonic scheme, consistency in The decay of the magnetising inrush current ob-
the ratio of peak inrush current to the real time integra- tained by the real time integration value scheme has
tion value during the initial cycles can be achieved thus been shown to be consistent. This method can provide a
providing a more reliable reahsation of magnetising better reahsation of the presence of magnetising inrush
inrush current. current under all switching conditions.

5. Conclusion References

A numerical method to predict the wave form of the [l] P.C.Y. Ling and A. Basak. IEEE Trans. Magn. MAG-24
magnetising inrush current in a three-phase three-limb (1988) 3217.
transformer has been develoned. The decav of the sec- [2] J.A. Sykes and I.F. Morrison, IEEE Trans. PAS-91 (1972)
1 _I

ond harmonic component of the magnetising inrush 1266.

[3] P.C.Y. Ling and A. Basak, SMM8 Conf. Bad Gastein,
current has been found to be inconsistent. The large
Austria (1987) paper 5.13.